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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bound — certain
  6. tear — from crying
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. row — to paddle
  9. suit — in cards
  10. club — a group
  11. suit — to fit
  12. tear — to rip
  13. can — to be able to
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. can — a tin
  16. club — for dancing
  17. can — a tin
  18. club — for golf
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bound — obliged
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bound — tied together
  23. row — a line
  24. patient — a sick person

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com